


Black Tar Heroine

by 1evis1ittleasshole



Category: Original Work
Genre: All Omegas have pussies, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Cunnilingus, Dystopian society, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Eventual Romance, Forced Orgasm, Humiliation, Hurt/Comfort, Love Triangle, M/M, Non-Consensual Bondage, Non-Consensual Oral Sex, Post-War, Racism, Semi-Public Sex, Slavery, Survival Horror, Torture, Vaginal Fingering, Vaginal Sex, afab language, but in modern times, inspired by the Antebellum Era, please heed the warnings, this is not for the faint of heart
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-14
Updated: 2021-03-06
Packaged: 2021-03-14 12:21:22
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 4
Words: 18,873
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29418561
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/1evis1ittleasshole/pseuds/1evis1ittleasshole
Summary: America breaks out into another bloody civil war but this time the south is victorious. After most of the country goes into ruin the remaining land is broken into factions and controlled largely by the New Confederates.Iyasu is a dancer just trying to get by in the slums of Faction 5 but his whole life is upended when he becomes the property of Roland Rider, a cruel and powerful political leader of Faction 1.Will he survive?
Comments: 10
Kudos: 11





	1. Marked Part I

**Author's Note:**

> Since I've been rewriting my stories I decided to revisit this one too. I thought Black history month would be a good time to post the new version haha. It's not an easy read especially in the beginning, it is based off of chattel slavery in the Antebellum Era after all. I didn't list the couples because I wanted it to be a surprise I guess lol 
> 
> Anyways, I hope y'all enjoy it!

Iyasu doesn’t remember much from that night. He only remembers the taste of skin on his lips, the vibrations of the stage against his body, and magenta lights warming that pale face in front of him. He was swimming, too far gone on a deadly mixture of alcohol and dope to have any coherent thoughts. He barely recalls leaving the club in a daze or walking home in the dead of night. 

He was lost in the tranquil melodies that played from his earbuds, practically stumbling on the barely visible road in front of him. It was too late when he noticed the bright lights that slowly appeared behind him. He turned quickly to see a black unmarked vehicle following him, making him pause in confusion. 

Iyasu didn’t stay on that thought long, his assailants gave him no chance to contemplate further before speeding up as the backdoor flew open. Everything from then on was a blur, hands pulling him in and pinning him down as he desperately fought them to no avail. The shadowy figures filled his vision, blocking him off from any exits and plunging a needle into his neck. A scream caught in Iyasu’s throat as a burning pain crawled up his neck until he blacked out completely. 

The last thing he remembers is the feeling of his heart trying to beat out of his chest. 

When he woke there was a low hum surrounding him. He was lying on cold metal that made his whole body ache, or maybe it was something else that had him in so much pain. Iyasu groaned and tried to rub his aching head only to find his hands were locked behind his back. That’s when his eyes snapped open to see other people surrounding him. They were all chained together or locked in cages with sullen looks on their faces.

“What--?” Iyasu breathed out. He began to struggle but it only made his head throb with a sharper pain. 

“The new guy woke up.” said a voice in front of him. Iyasu looked up to see a man with straight black hair looking down at him with sympathetic eyes. 

“Where...where am I?” his voice was scratchy, it almost hurt to talk. 

Looking around he could see it was some type of container. It was damp, filthy, and crowded with people crammed in corners from the lack of space, the artificial lights above him flickered on and off like they threatened to go out. His eyes travelled to his own body that was still clad in the revealing outfit he wore before everything went blank.

“I’m sorry to say we’re headed to Faction 4.” The dark-haired man said solemnly. The statement made Iyasu tense, Faction 4 was rumored to be the place people ended up when neighborhoods were raided and cops needed to fill a "quota", those people usually never come back. The thought made Iyasu’s throat tighten as he tried to swallow. 

“Are we going to jail?” His voice shook with the fear he couldn’t hold back. The last thing he recalls is hands pulling him into a car but the only cars he’s ever seen are police vehicles. 

“I don't know, what do you think genius?” Came a more sarcastic voice after a pause. Iyasu’s head turned in that direction to see a heavily scarred boy with a crew cut sitting in one of the cages.

“Ezra don’t be rude. We’re all in distress right now, no need for hostility.” The black-haired man said in a calm voice.

“Fuck off Teyu, you’re going back to your owner’s cushy mansion in Faction 2. As if a spoiled  _ pet  _ knows anything about distress.” Ezra spat out the word with disdain.

Iyasu sat up to lean on the wall behind him, frowning at the boy who was now glaring at the stoic man in front of him. He wasn’t a big fan of Ezra’s combative attitude, it only put him more on edge but then he caught a scent wafting towards him, no, multiple scents. He could smell a chemical smell but there was an unmistakable sweet scent that he detected too. His eyes widened when it hit him.

“You’re all omegas too?” 

“Bingo, idiot.” Ezra grumbled, earning a disapproving look from Teyu. Iyasu simply ignored him and looked straight at Teyu who eventually nodded. 

“We all have our stories but this is a trafficking vehicle, for--you know--”

“Oh god...” Iyasu’s words cut him off in a whisper. Teyu looked down without even finishing his sentence, he didn’t need to. All of Iyasu’s breath left him at once, his heart dropping to his stomach when the gravity of the situation finally hit him.

His body became numb as the edges of his vision began to grow black. He couldn’t hear anything, just a ringing in his ears that seemed to get louder and louder by the minute. 

“It’s okay. Breathe, breathe.” Teyu’s voice was suddenly closer, making Iyasu look up frantically. The other omega’s hands were locked in front of him with some type of white bar, it allowed him to put a hand on Iyasu’s shoulder. He didn’t even realize he was starting to hyperventilate until Teyu approached him.

He tried to breathe deep and was beginning to catch his breath again when suddenly the van stopped, making everyone look around with wary expressions. Footsteps could be heard before two white men opened the double doors, the sour scent of fear became more and more potent by the minute; even more so when the men pulled out their guns.

They both had on dark suits with stiff collars adorned with silver stars, _ police uniforms _ . Both of the men wore dark visors that concealed their identity completely. 

“Come on, one at a time.” The one with the bald head said impatiently. No one was willing to move except Teyu who jumped out obediently, everyone else was too frozen with fear. 

Iyasu’s body couldn’t seem to move either even if the idea of being shot wasn’t exactly a pleasant thought. Eventually that choice would be made for him as the bald officer grabbed his arm roughly and yanked him out of the van, making him fall onto the ground. He was manhandled into standing again making him jerk away from the assault by instinct. He almost tripped over his bound ankles but he didn’t care, the need to get away was overpowering.

“Stay still!” The officer got a hold of him again as his partner began forcing the others out with threats. Iyasu continued to struggle against his grasp only to be slapped across the face making the ache in his head come back full force.

“Listen you shit.” The man snapped, pushing Iyasu face first against the van. “You better cooperate or I’ll make this even more painful for you.” He pulled at Iyasu’s dreads as he said it, making him bite back a yelp.

“Careful man, don’t be too rough with that one. We might get into some deep shit if we damage the prettier ones.” The other officer pulled his partner off of Iyasu, earning a sneer from the other man.

“As if any one would care about a low-breed omega, stop talking and move the rest of the cargo. I want to be done before the night is over.” He yanked Iyasu by his arm again, this time successfully pulling him away from the van and towards a large gray complex.

The building was massive, almost blending with the night if it weren’t for the bright spotlights that ran along the building and the open yard surrounding it. He tried not to think too hard about what was to come when he was already shaking with panic. When they arrived at the back of the complex they entered through a pair of rusted metal doors that opened automatically with a loud creak. 

Iyasu tried to look around the dimly lit halls but the guard kept yanking him forward when he didn't walk fast enough. Finally the maze like halls opened to a place filled with cells. Iyasu’s mouth hung open as he took in the seven levels of enclosures that surrounded them, reaching way above their heads. 

He only had a minute to take it in before he was pulled into yet another room that held a different group of omegas, all appearing to be from Faction 5. Their dark faces were covered in sweat and bruises, some battered to the point where they were unrecognizable. He was thrown towards the group hearing the door shut behind him. 

More guards were standing around the group, one came forward to herd him further away from the door. The room was old and bare, people could be heard sobbing around him. He felt his blood go cold when he saw mothers among the group clutching their small children in their arms with mixed expressions of fear and resignation. He felt even worse when he noticed some children were alone with looks of terror on their small faces. The smell of sorrow was pungent, it filled the air so thickly it nearly suffocated him.

Suddenly a door on the other side of the room opened to reveal a red-haired man in a pristine white coat. He looked around with dull eyes until they landed on one of the mothers sitting far away from where Iyasu was kneeling. The woman’s eyes immediately filled with panic when the man turned his head towards the guards and pointed to her. 

“No! Please!” She screamed, holding her children tighter and shaking her head violently. 

The guards seemed to not even consider her words. They wrenched her away from her children and forced her to stand as she used all her strength to fight them, all the while sobbing and begging them to let her go. 

“Take the children to the cages.” Said the red head before turning to walk off. The sight of her children screaming and crying as they were dragged away made Iyasu’s heart ache, the desperation in their voices was haunting. Iyasu’s eyes were wide watching them try to fend off the guards.

“Why are you doing this to them!?” Iyasu couldn’t help but speak. He tried to get up only to be kicked back down by another guard closer to him. He landed with a grunt and struggled back onto his knees as he grit his teeth. 

All he could see were the children disappearing behind the door he came from before it closed once again. No one even tried to say anything, they all had empty expressions, like they were blocking off the reality around them. Iyasu sat there breathing heavy, his mouth bleeding from the impact of the kick. What happened beyond that door with the red haired man? Were they destined to be tormented to death by these foreigners?

More time passed with Iyasu’s own morbid thoughts and the smell of fear driving him mad. He couldn’t stop his mind from agonizing about his situation, the more he racked his brain the more angry he got. Worst of all, he felt more and more like he could only blame himself for being so careless. Why did he let himself get so faded in the first place? Maybe he would have notice things sooner if he hadn't been so distracted and out of it. He would do anything and everything to take those decisions back. 

The door opened again, this time another man appeared. “Give me one of the pups.” said the gruff looking man, he was wearing a white coat similar to the other one.

One of the guards nodded and walked over to the kids who were alone. The oldest girl pushed the younger ones back in order to shield them even as her body shook with fear. Iyasu moved before he could think twice, he jumped in front of the children and glared up at the guard defiantly. 

“Leave them alone, they’re only  _ children _ .” Iyasu practically hissed. The guard frowned at him and was ready to lift up his baton but was stopped by the man in the white coat.

“Wait. Let the troublemaker go first since he wants the attention so badly.” The man smirked. 

The guard grit his teeth but stopped anyway, opting to grab Iyasu instead. All the confidence drained out of Iyasu in that moment but he decided to cooperate if only to take attention away from the children and stall the inevitable. The guard followed the man down a hall that had a metal door at the end. The man placed his hand on a pad that was installed next to it making the door open.

The next room was much more high tech, eggshell walls surrounded a few desks and monitors but what caught Iyasu’s eyes the most was the white chair that sat in the middle of the room. The red headed man was tapping away on a touch screen monitor that displayed photos of what looked like other Faction 5 natives. He saw a flash of his own smiling face before the guard turned him away from the screen.

Iyasu was stunned, why did they have a photo of him? He’s never even _been_ to Faction 4. It was his ID photo but he wasn’t carrying his ID when he was arrested. So many questions ran through his mind but t he guard forced him to sit, interrupting his thoughts abruptly. He pinned him to the chair as the other man unlocked his ankles and wrists. Iyasu struggled again by impulse but he was no match for the much bigger guard holding him down. The brunette in the white coat was strapping down his ankles and wrists to the chair making his blood thrum with panic. They had some kind of information on him and now who knows what they were about to do. 

“Who the fuck are you people!? What do you want--” He began to protest but a metal ring gag was shoved in his mouth and latched behind his head. He almost choked on his spit when the thing wrenched his mouth open and was tucked behind his teeth.

“No more talkin’ now my sweet.” said the brunette in a strange accent. He buckled down Iyasu's chest before patting his shoulder. Iyasu could only look on with wide dark eyes as the man picked up a strange looking gun that rested on one of the metal plates connected to the chair.

“This is going to hurt.” The man warned, he approached as the guard disappeared into the hallway.

Iyasu’s voice only came out in choked sounds while his body recoiled away from the man. His chest rose and fell with how quickly he breathed, it only became worse when the man pushed his dreads away and moved his head to the side to place the cold gun on his neck.

He squeezed his eyes shut praying for the gods to take him quickly if this was his last few seconds on earth. A click could be heard before a stabbing pain pierced his neck, he tried to scream from the sharp pain but couldn’t. Tears ran down his face as he felt blood trickle down his neck but even through his shock he couldn’t believe he was still alive. 

“There ya go!” The man said in a chipper voice. Iyasu could only focus on the sound of his own voice whimpering as the thick needle was pulled from his flesh.

“Guess you’re not a fan of needles eh?” The man joked as he spun around to retrieve a much smaller syringe. Iyasu’s body tensed immediately, anticipating yet more pain.

This time the man drew blood from his wrist making him want to hiss but the sting was nothing compared to the small gun. There was more invasive poking a prodding as if the man was checking for internal injuries but he seemed satisfied with the lack of broken bones.

“It seems you only have some bumps and bruises from that feisty attitude of yours. That should heal up fine if you don’t cause any more trouble.” The brunette smiled. The sight of it made Iyasu sick.

“Now, to get those nasty chemicals out your system.” He grabbed a vial that was filled with a cloudy purple liquid.

Iyasu was puzzled for a second as to what the man meant but before he could think further his head was being tilted back and the man was pouring the unfamiliar potion down his throat. He choked and gagged but the man covered his mouth and made sure he swallowed it down even with his throat tightening in protest. More tears ran down his face as he swallowed it all, he wanted to gag again just from the foul taste.

“You better not throw up unless ya want to do this again.” There was a threatening edge to the man’s lighthearted tone. He removed his hand, letting Iyasu’s head fall forward. 

Immediately he felt dizzy and disoriented as his limbs seemed to stop working. The man unbuckled him making the urge to run come up again but he couldn’t move. The man picked up his much more slender body like it was nothing, leading him to another room that was filled with dirty cells. He was handed off to yet another pair of guards before he was dumped into a cell and locked in.

At this point he could barely keep his eyes open. He only saw the brunette man give him another smile and a wave as his vision blurred. 

He blacked out again only to awake to a searing heat that seemed to consume his body. It flowed through his body to the point of being unbearable, he gasped as his body shivered unpleasantly. His cunt throbbed and tightened to the point of discomfort. Iyasu sobbed miserably as he turned onto his stomach and dug his fingers into his hair. The gag still in his mouth made his jaw hurt as he drooled uncontrollably.

A wetness gushed from between his legs making a tortured moan leave his mouth that almost sounded foreign to his own ears. His breathing was labored and he couldn’t think, only able to think about the pain in his abdomen and the sudden desperation that seemed to build in his mind. He hasn’t had his heat since he was 12 but he still remembers the pain and humiliation. Whatever that man gave him must have flushed all the suppressants out of his body.

“Hey, you think he needs a little help?” said a voice above him, he peered up to see the same guards that brought him to his cell. 

“What? From you?” said the smaller guard with a snort. “You couldn’t handle a low-breed, I heard they’re animals in bed. Real whores, unlike those stuffy omegas down south.”

The taller guard scoffed. “Don’t act like you know anything about fuckin’. This one here got a strong smell to ‘em, he’s asking for a good rut.” He looked at Iyasu as he said it, Iyasu felt himself shiver again with mixed disgust and interest.

“Keep watch while I have a quick go at it.” The man said. he never stopped running his eyes over Iyasu’s body, the look he had on his face was sadistic.

“You need to stop fucking low-breeds, you’re gonna catch something man.” The other guard shook his head but still stepped away to the next cell to give the other some privacy.

Iyasu’s mind panicked but his body was desperate for relief. He shook his head weakly, trying to roll away from the guard but the man opened the cell door and grabbed at his leg to flip him back over.

“You like to resist huh? I can smell that you’re itching for a rut. No need to fight it.” The guard was panting as he said this, he ran his hands down Iyasu’s sheer shirt and into his loose shorts. 

Iyasu tried to speak around the gag but it only came out as a weak sob. He closed his legs even as his cunt throbbed invitingly. The man’s nostrils flared from the scent of his arousal. 

Big hands wrenched his legs apart before fingers slid between his wet lips, he knew his body was betraying him when his clit reacted to the man’s fondling. He turned his head away so he couldn’t look at the man’s hungry expression as he was being molested. He began to sob again when the guard forced his fingers inside him, he wanted to vomit but he couldn’t stop himself from grinding down on the pressure. 

He heard the man laugh and could feel the guard’s erection rubbing against his thigh in anticipation. His glee didn’t last however, the spell was broken when a loud curse could be heard in front of the cell next to them. The man paused when he realized it was his partner and stiffened when he could hear the man struggling. The fog in Iyasu’s mind lifted a little as he listened. The guard got up to check on his partner, closing Iyasu’s cell and locking it before running over.

Iyasu found the strength to pull himself into a corner with his shaky arms. He could hear the taller guard run to the next cell. 

“Hey! Let him go!” The taller guard sounded shocked. There was more of a scuffle until the cell door opened and fighting could be heard. The sudden sound of a pained scream startled Iyasu into moving away from the wall. 

“Fuck off!” Iyasu heard a familiar voice say. “You fucking crackers--” the voice cut off into a choked noise and a thud, another heavy thud followed. 

Iyasu could only hear breathing and someone cursing under their breath as they talked briefly on a transceiver. The next minute he could hear footsteps that eventually revealed the shorter guard carrying a small brown skinned boy with a crew cut who was limp in his arms. He could see blood trailing behind them as he carried him. 

_ Ezra.  _ The realization made Iyasu sit there in quiet shock. 

He watched more guards rush in as they disappeared into the hall. 


	2. Marked Part II

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Iyasu meets the man who bought him and adjusts to the terror of his new home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just so y'all know Iyasu gets mixed up in somewhat of a love triangle. Don't know if you can call it a love triangle since one relationship is forced but eh, can't find another word for it. This will have a happy and healthy ending though, no worries.
> 
> Warning for slurs in this chapter and graphic torture.

The rest of his heat lasted for a disorienting week, he had no way of knowing his surroundings with the constant noise in his own head. In the thick of it his body would shake with the intensity of his own blood growing hot. He didn’t realize he was wailing from the pain until one of the guards banged on the cell bars and told him to shut up. 

He couldn’t think of anything but the emptiness inside him, couldn’t even eat for fear his contractions would make him throw up. The guards would force food down his throat with a small shovel, a disgusting sludge that slid down like vomit making him want to gag more. Everyday that week he went through that torture, he didn’t notice the faces of the new guards that watched over him. He didn't even notice that Erza never came back. 

When the fog cleared Iyasu was exhausted. He laid on the cell floor covered in his own bodily fluids as he stared idly at his cell wall. Eventually he was moved from his cell by someone he couldn't be bothered to acknowledge. He didn’t care where they took him, his body was still dazed from his violent heat and exhaustion beyond anything he’s ever felt. 

To his surprise he started to smell something pleasant making him open his eyes. He was greeted by a metal tub full of warm water. He was laid into the tub which smelled of sweet cherry blossoms. A pair of betas removed the metal ring from his mouth and pulled his limbs out to scrub them down. The sudden contact made him uncomfortable but a part of him almost craved the gentle and neutral touch. They scrubbed him down completely, not even letting him wash the more intimate parts of his body though he was too weak to argue.

When they finished washing his hair he was ordered to get out the tub where he was handed a rough towel to dry himself. It was amazing how the bath made him feel human again even with the invasion of his private areas. 

He was nudged forward once more, this time with a cold metal barrel that felt very much like a gun. He didn’t even glance back before obeying the silent order. Nervous sweat was already starting to form on his forehead as he passed through the walkway into a lofty looking room.

It was a bizarre change from the rest of the dingy complex. The room was well lit with white furniture and glass accents that made the room feel lifeless yet luxurious. It was much more warm and comfortable, there was even plush carpet that caressed his bare feet. 

Iyasu could see a pair of men sitting in what looked like a longue talking amongst themselves. They made Iyasu feel even more naked with their high collared suits and overall conservative appearance. They had golden hair that ranged in different shades, their skin was as pale as the furniture that surrounded them. Their appearance gave a hint of wealth with their embroidered lapels and jewel encrusted bolo ties. A man in black sat with a flute of champagne in his gloved hand while the other stood and smiled at his companion excitedly. They were a stark contrast to the darker skinned men who were standing behind them wearing simple clothes and silver collars. 

“Would you look at that Roland.” said the man in white with short feathered hair. “I think your gift has arrived.”

The man in black turned to Iyasu at that moment, his long blonde hair had shifted to reveal his face. His eyes were a striking blue that was almost silver in the sunlight. Iyasu didn’t like the way those eyes stared at him, he felt small as the man scrutinized him, his skin pricked with humiliation. He covered himself almost unconsciously and briefly wondered if he had enough strength to out run the guard behind him. 

The stranger suddenly smiled at Iyasu, he felt his body tense with discomfort as the man set his glass down and began to walk towards him with an easy gait. He gave Iyasu a once-over as he stood in front of him practically towering over Iyasu’s smaller form. He had a strong scent to him that stunk of alpha, Iyasu had to look away from him to distract himself, choosing to look out the window instead.

“You certainly picked a fine specimen Ryse.” The stranger’s smooth voice made Iyasu’s gaze snap back to him with a glare. 

The man-- _Roland_ \-- simply arched a thin eyebrow, his arrogant smile now showed perfect teeth. Before Iyasu could react Roland’s hand reached for his face to grab his cheeks and tilt his head up.

“Rather pretty, for a darkie.” Roland said casually. There was a calm coldness behind his interest, like he couldn’t see the anger on Iyasu’s face. 

“I figured he’d make a good set of working hands since he’s nicely toned for an omega. I agree he’s not bad on the eyes either but the missus wouldn’t approve of you saying such a thing about a low-breed.” Ryse chuckled. 

Iyasu couldn’t take them talking about him as if he were another piece of furniture in the room. He slapped Roland’s hand away making the alpha blink in shock, the guard moved to wrench Iyasu’s arms behind his back and Ryse rushed over to his friend.

“You little _heathen_ , how dare you be so disrespectful?” Ryse narrowed his own dark blue eyes. “He is your new master, you are to behave as such.” 

Iyasu felt himself seething, he’d already endured enough in over a week and now some strange white man was treating him like an animal. He was way past tired of it all.

“Kiss my _ass_.” He raised his voice as he said it. Ryse looked appalled but Roland looked even more intrigued. Ryse was ready to chew him out again but Roland stopped him by raising a hand.

“Don’t stress yourself out Ryse. I’m quite satisfied, this is certainly a good birthday gift.” Roland maintained his stoic tone but there was something about the air around him that still put Iyasu on edge.

Ryse looked puzzled but was blushing from the compliment. Iyasu had no time to contemplate the real meaning behind Roland’s words because the man was already moving on.

“Let’s leave now, we have a long trip ahead of us and I’d like to get going.” Roland said. “Please pack him up for me, we’ll meet downstairs.” He walked away, ignoring the fear that grew on Iyasu’s face.

  
  


By “pack up” Roland must’ve meant having him chained up, gagged again, and blindfolded. His arms and legs were bound so tight he had to be carried and placed inside whatever vehicle he was being transported in. The ride was long and seemed endless with him being blindfolded the whole time. Every now and again his gag would be removed by surprisingly gentle hands that would feed him and give him water. The person had a faint smell that reminded Iyasu of cinnamon and big hands that were a bit clumsy at times but that’s all he could really detect. He often wished the person would loosen his bonds and even asked one time when his mouth was free but he was only met with silence.

Finally after being transferred into another more comfortable vehicle they travelled a few more hours before stopping for good. His blindfold was removed along with his gag, he was picked up again by one of the collared men and carried out of a sleek red vehicle that looked like it could only exist in sci-fi. He tried to see past the very broad back of the man carrying him but could only catch an endless yard and a large white estate. He didn’t think grass could be so green, hell he didn’t think anyone’s home could be that massive. 

The breeze was cool as they walked down the winding walkway built with smooth stones. There was a large beautiful fountain with a proud white lion that stood in the middle of it, water falling from its mouth. They walked up the stairs and were greeted by servants who held heavy wooden doors open for them. Iyasu could feel his heart speed up when he watched the doors shut behind them, the sound was deafening to Iyasu.

This was it, he was officially trapped. 

“Welcome home darling.” He could hear a light voice in front of them. 

“Thank you dear.” Roland replied in a dull tone. “The trip was quite tiring.” 

The man holding Iyasu turned to put down one of Roland’s suitcases which allowed Iyasu to get a glimpse of who Roland was talking to. He met eyes with another omega to his surprise, the man’s lithe form was covered in a frilly shirt and white dress pants, his body wrapped in a silk corset that accentuated his figure. He had even lighter hair than Roland, the color almost translucent. His green eyes narrowed at Iyasu while he studied him, disgust marred his doll-like features before Iyasu’s view was blocked again. 

“Take him down to the chambers Jerrod. Make sure he’s secured.” Roland said to the man carrying him.

Iyasu felt his heart drop again at those words, suddenly he wished he was back on the road and in that subspace again where he could sense nothing but the idle sounds of the road. Anything was better than becoming a plaything again. 

He was carried through the left hallway and past a spacious kitchen already filled with slaves going about their day. They walked until they reached the end of the hall where they descended a pair of steps that led to a dim basement with brick walls and various metal columns that lined the middle of the room. An open furnace stood in the back of the room, right behind a metal table. Iyasu gasped when he could see traces of blood on the floor below him before he was laid down. 

The man silently unchained him and quickly strapped his limbs down onto a metal table, his legs and arms stretched so wide it hurt. He was breathing hard again, his body knowing that it would suffer some form of torture like when he was in that eggshell-white room. Iyasu looked to the large man with pleading eyes as he continued to squirm in his shackles.

“I’m from Faction 5! I-I’m not supposed to be here. You have to help me, please.” Iyasu pleaded but Jerrod only stared at him with an unreadable gaze before looking away.

“ _Please_ , I don’t know why I'm here!” Iyasu’s voice cracked with sorrow, partly because he knew deep down that this man had no more power than he did. Jerrod continued to look into the opposite direction but his large hands balled into fists by his sides. The sight made him realize he was begging for nothing but he was desperate, he wanted to say more but a pair of footsteps made him stiffen in silence.

Roland appeared wearing only a loose fitting shirt, tan pants, and a thick pair of gloves. His hair was braided back and he wore a relaxed expression on his face. Roland gave Jerrod a look prompting the man to quickly walk out of the room as if he was waiting for the chance. 

“Sweet talk will get nowhere, just so you know.” Roland’s tone was amused. He walked up to Iyasu and leaned on the metal table to look down at him.

“Let’s get one thing straight, I’m the master of this plantation. I am akin to a god on this here land. You would do well to regard me as such or your new life will be _much_ more difficult for you.” He leaned forward as he emphasized the last words. 

“I’m not supposed to be here.” It came out as a shaky whisper. “I was kidnapped.” He looked into Roland’s chilly blue eyes as he said it, hoping there was some humanity there that he could reach. Roland simply chuckled and backed away, walking around the table.

“You are a _nigger_. You’re exactly where you belong, you just have to be put in your place.” Roland said as he turned to a wall of grizzly looking tools and grabbed a rod with some type of pattern on the end. He stuck the end of it into the furnace until the end was a bright red and almost dripping with molten heat. 

Roland walked back around the table to stand between Iyasu’s legs studying the steaming rod with an easy grin. “You know some owners like to tattoo their slaves since that’s more in fashion nowadays but I’m a little more old school with my branding. Sends more of a strong statement I think.”

Iyasu began to panic when he could feel the heat get closer. Roland watched the terror in his eyes as he grabbed one of his thighs to spread his legs further. Iyasu could hear himself pleading but it felt like he was far away from himself, looking down at what was happening to him. 

“Stay still or this is going to hurt worse.” Roland warned before pressing the hot metal into the soft meat of his thigh. 

The pain was indescribable, Iyasu’s throat was raw with his scream as flesh bubbled and melted away with the searing heat. He blacked out for a second only to be jolted awake again when the brand was pulled away, pulling burnt skin with it. He was sobbing from the agonizing burn that followed, he could barely see past his own tears, barely breathe with the smell of burning flesh in the air. 

“Now, now that wasn’t so bad.” Roland said, looking at his handiwork with a whistle. “That’s a job well done if I’ve ever seen it.” he walked away again to pull one of the levers next to the table making it tilt forward until it stood straight up.

Iyasu felt the strain on his wrists from the shackles when his body tried to fall forward. He was still whimpering and trying to catch his breath, his face was a mess of tears and snot but he couldn’t stop more tears from forming when his whole thigh throbbed with excruciating pain. He hung his head letting his hair fall in a curtain until Roland eventually grabbed his face and forced it back up. He had a collar in his hand that looked similar to the ones the other men wore, thin, simple and silver with a decorative ‘RR’ etched into it. 

“Now,” Roland said slipping the collar around Iyasu’s neck even as he tried to pull away. “I’ve thought of a new name for you.” he snapped the collar closed, locking it in place.

“Your name is Gin from now on. I think it suits you.” He smiled and let go of Iyasu’s face but this time Iyasu kept his gaze on Roland.

“That’s not my name.” Iyasu managed to grit through his teeth. Even through all the pain he could feel indignation crawl up his spine. 

Roland simply stared at him, his smile falling into a stony expression before he practically lunged at Iyasu, grabbing his throat and squeezing until it felt like the pressure would make his head explode. 

“Your name is Gin, you understand? I didn’t ask for any objections did I?” Roland practically snarled with cold rage in his eyes. He continued to squeeze until Iyasu tried to choke out a no, Roland seemed to hear it which prompted him to finally let go. Iyasu coughed hard enough for tears to flow again before he began to breathe in much needed oxygen. Roland turned away to remove his gloves and wipe his brow. His face was disturbingly calm, like he didn’t just attack Iyasu only a minute ago. 

“Jerrod will see you to your quarters.” was all he said in a flat tone. He gave Iyasu another stony look with a threat radiating beneath it before making his way upstairs again.

  
  
Jerrod returned to release him after what felt like hours. Iyasu hung there in the dim basement with pain now throbbing in his wrists too. He couldn’t even think about anything that happened since he’s been kidnapped, his mind was too exhausted and his body too sore to focus on anything else. When Jerrod arrived to let him down he didn’t even have enough energy to walk. 

The large man caught his waist before he collapsed on the ground and grabbed his legs to lift him gently in his arms. Iyasu’s head rested on his chest, a tiny, pitiful whine left his mouth when the movement made his injury sting. Jerrod said nothing as usual but the sound did make him still for a second. He seemed to move at a slower pace so as to not jostle Iyasu too much as he climbed the stairs. 

It was mostly dark when they entered the hall with only artificial lamps leading the way to the antechamber. The house was quiet now and Iyasu realized he must’ve been hanging up in the basement for the whole day. His foggy mind tried to take in more of his surroundings but he couldn’t concentrate, he could only smell the scent of soothing cinnamon wafting off of Jerrod as he was carried outside. 

Iyasu began to drift off as Jerrod got further away from the prestigious courtyard and walked along a dirt road leading to a circle of tattered shelters. He saw a small woman standing on a rickety porch and staring at them with hard eyes as they approached. He couldn’t keep his eyes open any longer after that, finally succumbing to exhaustion. 

  
  


* * *

When he woke it was to the smell of food cooking and the sound of songbirds chirping in the distance. Iyasu groaned feeling like he got hit by a boulder when his body reminded him of his injuries. He was laying on a dirt floor with only a few dingy sheets separating his aching bones from the hard ground. He turned onto his back, clumsy and disoriented as he tried to sit up on shaking arms. It took some effort but eventually he was upright enough to look at his surroundings. He was in some type of shelter that looked mostly barren save for a basin in the corner and a stove that was being fed wood by an older woman. Her presence surprised him for some reason, besides the smell of food he didn’t even sense another person in the room. She looked back at him while stirring an old pot on the fire, her face weathered and expressionless. 

“Ya up I see. Good, I didn’t wanna hafta give you a rude awakenin’. Overseer Lester don’t usually like no one waking up afta the sun. Guess he took pity on ya.” She shrugged as she spooned some of the soup into a wooden bowl.

Iyasu could only close his eyes and shake his head to clear away the fog of confusion still floating in his head. He rubbed at his face to clear his vision and opened his eyes again to see the old woman handing him the bowl of food.

“Ah,” he said looking into her clouded brown eyes timidly. “Thank you.” He said taking the bowl and cradling it, it almost hurt to talk with how scratchy his throat was. He skimmed his surroundings nervously before speaking up again.

“Um miss, where am I?” 

“Rider Plantation.” She answered in a clipped tone that makes him look away from her. 

“No I-I mean, what Faction--” 

“Faction 1, now ya better eat quick. I was tol’ ta make sure you out the slave quarters by 8. I kept it warm so you need to eat quickly.” She crossed her arms looking out the entryway with a more nervous expression. Iyasu couldn’t help but notice that she had a burn scar on her face that almost took up the entire left side, it was painful to look at even if it was clearly an old wound. The woman caught his eyes as he studied her much to his embarrassment. 

“Stop starin’ an’ eat, son.” was all she said before leaving to stand on the porch, Iyasu could see glimpses of her tattered skirts through the cracks of the poorly built walls as she walked away.

He looked down at his food to see a strange concoction of collard greens and cuts of meat Iyasu couldn’t recognize. Still he ate the food in a hurry noting that it was much more tasty than he expected by how unappetizing it looked at first. He finished his food in record time not wanting to get in any more shit than he was already in. He didn’t know who this Lester guy was but he was willing to bet the man wasn’t any more civilized than Roland. 

Iyasu struggled to stand but eventually did, surprised to find that he could limp over to the stove to put down his bowl on a small table. He felt a bandage around his thigh wrapped tight enough to protect it and wondered if the old lady was the one to tend to it. There were also new clothes on him, a starchy loose fitting white shirt along with equally starchy pants. A humiliated blush heated his face at the thought of someone undressing him which feels ridiculous given the context of his current situation. He still had a hard time wrapping his head around the fact that he was in Faction 1, it was an alien place he's only seen on TV before now. 

Walking outside he could see the old lady waiting for him with her arms still crossed in impatience. She yanked her head towards the fields before walking in that direction at a surprising speed. Iyasu limped to keep up, making her slow a bit when she saw him struggling. They made it to the fields in a few minutes, the heat from the sun making waves in the atmosphere as slaves worked the fields with empty expressions. 

A single white man could be seen among them dressed in a button up and brown slacks. He sat on a horse tilting his wide brimmed hat up when he saw them, glaring for a second before turning away. The whip in his hand made Iyasu still in fear, especially when the man snapped it dangerously close to the other slaves as he barked orders. It was yet another sight that made his hair stand on end.

“Overseer Lester, I got him up an’ ready now.” The old lady said as she gestured for him to go on into the field of crops. 

“Come on.” Lester said, prompting Iyasu to follow him. They walked to the other end of the field that was much less tended to. 

“Uyless, boy, come show em’ how it’s done.” Lester said to a boy who looked to only be a few years younger than Iyasu.

“Yessir.” The boy replied, his dark eyes were full of surprise when Lester called him but he quickly moved over to Iyasu even with the heavy sack that weighed down his skinny body. Lester only studied them with stern eyes as he turned his horse in the other direction.

“I better see y’all workin’ in sync in the next few seconds. No fuckin’ around.” He called out as he trotted away on his horse.

“Yessir!” Uyless called back before turning his attention on Iyasu. His eyes held a pure and excited curiosity that could only be found in youth. 

“You Gin right?” The boy asked eagerly. 

“My name’s Iyasu.” Iyasu tried to keep the anger out of his tone from just hearing that name. 

“Oh okay, Iyasu, that's a funny name. I heard you came from the north is that true?” As the kid asked the question Iyasu could see the overseer looking their way. The scowl on the man's face spelt trouble. 

“Hey, it’s Uyless right? Not to rush you but weren’t you supposed to be showing me the ropes?” He tried to keep his voice calm but Lester was heading over and making his heart quicken. 

“Oh yessir, right away. Here let me show you how to pick the goods.” Uyless handed him a bag that was concealed behind his own before stooping down.

Iyasu hunched over to put his hands on his knees glancing up to meet eyes with Lester who was now not too far from them. Iyasu could feel a fat drop of sweat run down his face when he looked back down to watch Uyless pull apart a cotton plant with small nimble fingers. It didn’t look that difficult so Iyasu didn’t hesitate to bend down and pick apart a plant carefully, if only to distract himself from Lester’s presence. 

“You a natural at this!” Uyless exclaimed, marveling at the clean cotton bundle. The statement stung more like an insult than anything. 

Uyless began picking towards the outer part of the field, Iyasu followed suit but couldn’t help looking behind them again when he heard Lester’s horse began to follow. There was a deep distrust in the overseer's eyes when he looked at Iyasu. He tried to ignore the man and continue to pick at the plants below him but Lester began to speak. 

“I better not ever see you planting any ideas n’ anyone’s head.” His voice was low with ire. Iyasu tried to focus on the sight of his own hands working the field alongside Uyless's smaller ones. Lester’s presence came closer to him making him itch with a more nervous sweat. 

“Northern niggers like you are too damn uppity.” His voice rumbled behind them making Uyless and Iyasu glance at each other with equally wary looks. Lester continued to watch him like a hawk but he had to force himself to concentrate on the white fields in front of him. 

Iyasu continued the endless picking, almost going on autopilot after his bag was half full. He’s always been in good shape but the unyielding sun and weight of the bag was beginning to take its toll. He could feel the tips of his fingers becoming numb, his arms ached along with his leg that was already throbbing from his previous torture. He didn’t notice himself lagging behind Uyless until a whip swung into the air and bit into his back with a loud snap. A scream was ripped from his throat from the burning sting that emanated from his back, Uyless glanced back at him with a conflicted look but was too afraid to stop moving.

“Come on, get your lazy ass up and pick them flowers like you mean it.” There was a taunting tone to his voice. “You northern darkies aren’t too pampered to do _real_ work.” 

Even through the pain Iyasu wanted to curse the man to oblivion. He peered up with anger in his eyes much to Lester’s amusement. Iyasu forced himself to look away and stand again on his unstable legs. He began to pick at the cotton again with trembling hands that didn’t want to work properly. Lester continued to hound him, if he stopped for anything Lester was there to lash at him with his whip. His cries weren’t even noticed by most of the other slaves though the younger ones would tense in fear at the sound.

At some point the pain was the only thing he could concentrate on. It was like his back was on fire and he could barely see the crops in front of him when he finally fell completely to the ground from the torment. Lester looked down on him with a satisfied sneer that told Iyasu he wasn’t done. In that moment Iyasu felt his instincts scream at him, a surge of adrenaline ran though him as he picked himself up again, but this time he ran. The fields were wide and seemingly endless with how much pain his body was in but his legs pressed forward desperately. 

“You little shit!” Lester yelled, gaining on him. 

He tried running faster when Lester caught up on his horse and grabbed a handful of his hair only to fall off his horse when Iyasu yanked on his outstretched arm. He landed on top of Iyasu and tried to pin him but Iyasu found the strength to punch the man square in the nose causing him to jerk away to cradle his face. Iyasu was ready to get up and run again when he felt a prick on his neck and then a jolt of electricity that made him stiffen in agony until he fell limp.

Lester finally got back up with a grunt before putting away a strange device and walking up to Iyasu’s crumbled form.

"Crazy fucker, I'd electrocute you to death if I could." Lester growled grabbing his leg and pulling him along the ground by his ankle. Iyasu stared up at him through his eyelashes and willed his numb body to move but it wouldn’t. He was dragged all the way back to the white mansion and through a backdoor that faced parallel to the barn area. He recognized the damp dungeon-like room but it was a different section of it. He was thrown into a much too small cage that sat next to empty ones. His already petite frame was forced to curl up in the claustrophobic space, the bars dug painfully into his tattered back. 

Iyasu was not sure how long he was there in that little cage shivering from the coldness that seeped through his thin clothes. As the hours turned to days his pain subsided a little and gave way to the hunger that was now clawing at him. He didn’t know when he last ate and he would only see water appear in his cage every now and again when he woke from troubled sleep. His joints were stiff from being in the same position for so long and he felt completely disoriented with the lack of daylight. He felt like they would leave him there forever, he would be trapped in darkness until he went insane.

As that thought passed a noise could be heard from the stairs. His wide eyes followed the noise as his heart began to pick up speed. A light was turned on revealing Roland’s presence. His thin lips were turned down in a dissatisfied frown as he looked at Iyasu.

“I knew it wasn’t a good idea to let you work the fields without properly training you but Lester convinced me. Should’ve known better than to listen to that power-hungry idiot.” He said before bending down to Iyasu’s height.

“I suppose the new collars were a good investment after all. At least your rebellious spirit is proving that.” A small smirk formed on his face as he took in Iyasu’s broken form. 

“I suppose you want to eat something.” Roland continued and Iyasu resisted the urge to react to the statement. He was beyond starving, his hunger pains were beginning to rival the wounds on his back, but he didn't want to show any vulnerability to Roland. Unfortunately he must’ve let something in his eyes show his true desperation as Roland was now looking more smug than usual.

“I must punish you first before you earn any food. You realize I can’t have any of my slaves acting out, it would ruin my reputation.”

Iyasu tensed when Roland moved to open the cage. Has he not endured enough for these sadistic people? He was so weak he couldn’t even resist when Roland pulled him out of the confined space and dragged him to the larger area where the furnace was. He was stripped naked and chained to the ceiling by his wrists, the tips of his toes were the only thing that touched the floor as his body dangled. 

A few minutes of silence went by until he suddenly felt a whip bite into his upper thighs. He tried to hold back his scream but it morphed into a shocked gasp. Roland pulled back his head violently by his hair, forcing him to look at the bloodlust in the alpha’s eyes. 

“I want you to count every lash, you hear me?” He ignored the desperation on Iyasu’s face along with the small pleas that left his lips in a rush. “You better count them all the way up to 30 or you’ll get even more.” he let go of Iyasu’s hair and pulled back the whip again. 

Iyasu’s blood was cold with fear but that didn’t stop the searing pain that ignited once the whip hit his already injured back. Roland whipped him until clouds of blood sprayed into the open air, he tried his best to choke out the numbers as they grew. Eventually he was so delirious with pain he could barely form words, only making Roland whip him more viciously. By the time he got to 30 his whole back was screaming in unison with his upper thighs. Blood ran down his body in rivulets forming a crimson pool on the floor beneath him.

Iyasu shook violently as he leaned his weight on his numb wrists and tried to breath through the pain but his breaths came so short he couldn’t get much oxygen. Roland was panting heavily behind him from the efforts of his swings. He unhooked Iyasu letting him collapse into the pool of his own blood. He looked down at Iyasu with an expression that almost looked giddy as he took in his handiwork, his hair was wild and unkempt around his face. The expression frightened Iyasu even through all the physical torment his body was suffering, there was too much passion there, too much raw desire. 

Iyasu closed his eyes in fear and began to sob.


	3. Taken

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Iyasu gets to know the other house slaves and tries to adjust, Roland doesn't make it easy for him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was pretty difficult to write because it involves certain content. I had to take multiple breaks with some parts cause tbh they were mentally upsetting but I got through it. 
> 
> Anyways, some bigger warnings apply to this chapter, just a heads up.

The next time he woke it was to a soft bed and the amber light of sunset. He was laying on his stomach, his naked body wrapped with bandages and only a thin sheet covering his lower regions from view. Iyasu stared blankly at the wall across the room, he was too mentally exhausted to even spare a thought about where he was at the moment. He only snapped out of his trance when he saw the door open to reveal Jerrod. The man looked as stoic as usual carrying a bowl of food and a glass of water. 

He sat them down on the nightstand before reaching over to try to grab Iyasu only to have the omega flinch away from him with frightened eyes. Iyasu didn’t even seem to think before his body instinctively tried to pull away. Jerrod paused with his hands hanging in the air, there was an uncertainty behind his brown eyes, he almost looked awkward like he didn’t know what to do. Iyasu didn't expect the bigger man pause like that, it was the first time in so long that someone seemed to consider his space. It made his mind rationalize some of the fear away but he couldn’t completely relax. 

“You need to eat.” was all Jerrod said, his deep voice was surprisingly gentle. Iyasu could feel the pain in his back return and the sharpness of his hunger pains but somehow the sound of Jerrod’s voice still caught his attention. He didn’t think the man could even speak.

“You can’t eat by yourself. I have to help.” Jerrod lifted his hands again but this time he waited for Iyasu's approval before moving closer.

"Okay." Iyasu finally whispered. Jerrod's calloused hands felt rough against his skin and oddly familiar as he helped him. He slowly turned Iyasu onto his side causing him to let out a small moan of pain. Jerrod tensed but was more careful as he held him up into a seating position.

Iyasu watched as Jerrod reached over for the bowl of fruit on the nightstand while he halfway cradled Iyasu in his other arm. The sweet smell wasn’t unpleasant but even through his hunger he didn’t feel any real desire to eat. He felt like his mind and body were disconnected, like his mind lacked the stimulation to desire anything, let alone food. He was beginning to change his mind about the whole eating thing, he was beginning to feel nauseous, it was only the more subtle smell of cinnamon that kept his mind from thinking of it too much. 

Jerrod placed the bowl in his lap and used a fork to pick up a grape, Iyasu was thankful for something small at least. Jerrod tired not to look him in the eyes when he nudged his dry lips to open. Iyasu ate it with more effort than it should take to eat a grape and the nausea increased once he swallowed. He ate a few more grapes and some mango before pushing the fork away with a whine of discomfort. His stomach pains were subsiding but he still wanted to throw up. The fruit was delicious and crisp but his brain was beginning to focus heavily on the faint smell of his own blood. Jerrod got the message and let him lay back on his stomach before placing the bowl down. Iyasu groaned when his back protested but for some reason anxiety took over him when he saw Jerrod move to pick up the dishes and leave. 

“Don’t--” The word came out so small he was surprised Jerrod even heard it. The big man stilled and looked at Iyasu with silent curiosity. 

“Please stay, until I fall asleep.” Iyasu's voice trembled with unshed tears. He didn’t even know this man, probably couldn’t even trust him, and yet he was desperate to keep his company. He wanted to be in Jerrod’s calming presence a bit longer, he craved any presence that didn’t possess animosity towards him.

Jerrod paused again looking reluctantly at the door before finally deciding to sit back down next to Iyasu whose breath was now a little more labored from the increasing pain coming from his body. He concentrated on the waft of cinnamon scent to distract from the ache and it somewhat helped. 

“Thank you.” He sighed and finally let his body fully relax into the soft surface of the bed.

Jerrod didn’t reply and stayed quiet the whole time as Iyasu began to drift off again, by the morning he was gone.

As he healed it felt like a week of him drifting in a cloud of pain with the occasional visit from Jerrod to clear the haze. It was strange at first having Jerrod change his bandages, he would’ve been more embarrassed if he wasn’t already dealing with more potent demons. Jerrod seemed sort of uncomfortable too but he went ahead with his task without complaint. After a while he was able to sit up and move around on his own, the injuries were healing into scars and he regained most of his strength from actually making an effort to eat and drink. Jerrod was bringing him dinner now, carrying a plate of what looked like leftovers from the kitchen. He was ready to feed Iyasu again but Iyasu sat up and shook his head.

“It’s fine, I can feed myself.” He reached out to take the plate. The contents appeared similar to the meal he ate in the slave quarters but the food was clearly fresher and better quality. He ate his food slowly, truly he had no desire to eat but he pushed himself to do it anyway. He could feel Jerrod's eyes on him and he wondered why the other man was still sitting there, he was always so quick to leave after that first night. 

“You gonna watch me eat?” His eyebrow quirked as he gazed at Jerrod curiously. Jerrod only crossed his arms and studied Iyasu with that stoic expression back on his face. Iyasu continued to eat nervously as Jerrod watched him, he couldn't even guess what was going on in the other man's head. 

“You don’t talk much do you?” Iyasu said around the food in his mouth. 

Jerrod frowned a bit. “You shouldn't have ran away like you did. It's not good to draw attention to yourself in a place like this.”

The unexpected words stung, Iyasu glared at Jerrod as anger took him for a moment, but it deflated just as quickly when they continued to sink in. Maybe Jerrod was right, maybe if Iyasu kept his head down and just endured he wouldn't have made things worse. He tightly gripped the fork in his hand as he looked down at his plate and bit his lip. It was a hard thought to swallow and he wasn't sure if his pride would truly let him. 

“I understand why you did it.” Jerrod continued when he saw Iyasu’s face, he looked back up at Jerrod in shock. The other man was looking away but met his eyes again, his light brown eyes seemed to peer through him, his full lips were set in a serious line.

“Just don’t fight it, you will experience much less pain if you comply.” Jerrod’s voice was somber. His eyes became empty like they were witnessing a distant memory. Iyasu took in his form, glanced down at his scarred arms and chest then back at his face that showed a prominent scar on his cheek. The sight made his chest tighten and his heart speed up, suddenly Jerrod's words felt even heavier. 

“Master Roland says I have to monitor you.” He said as he focused on Iyasu again. “I don't want to be the reason for your further torment.” It felt like a warning and a plea all at once. He knew it had to be difficult to personally take part in someone else’s bondage.

Iyasu nodded his head though there was still a part of him that stubbornly wanted his freedom. He didn’t want to make things harder for Jerrod but he wasn’t willing to be dehumanized like this any longer. Perhaps he just had to wait, maybe lull Roland into a false sense of security. He would try to be the perfect submissive slave until an opportunity of freedom arrives. 

A hand on his arm startled him back to attention. “Eat and get some rest, don’t think too much and things will be easier.”

Jerrod got up to leave after that. The silence was suffocating, Iyasu felt anger build in him again, he hated that his only source of comfort was now another person he couldn’t trust. He felt like fate itself was trying to grind his body and soul into dust, trying to corner him until he relented. 

His thoughts troubled him until he finally managed to fall asleep. He slept better than when the pain was unbearable but something didn’t feel right that night. He began to feel a hand caressing his face, lightly trailing down his plush lips and down his neck. He would turn his head away to avoid the touch but that same hand would trail down his collar bone, over his nipples and under the sheets. They felt too soft to be Jerrod’s but Iyasu was too afraid to open his eyes and find out it wasn’t a dream. 

“No…” He whimpered under his breath when fingers slipped between his thighs. Surprisingly they stopped when he protested, instead choosing to brush their fingers over the brand mark on his inner thigh before pulling away completely. 

The sound of footsteps leaving the room made his tense body relax. The days went on and every night he would feel those hands on his skin confidently exploring him but never going any further than that. The touches made him shiver in disgust but he promised himself to endure until eventually he refused to sleep at night. He would crash by the morning only to be awakened by Jerrod throughout the day. He sat up at night watching the door and jumping every time a shadow passed by. 

Eventually one night he got a visit from Roland, much to his dismay. His very presence made Iyasu's heart thunder in his chest, he had to calm his breathing and fight the urge to run from the sight of him. Roland smirked when he noticed the fear in Iyasu’s eyes.

“Feeling better?” He didn’t wait for an answer before pulling out what looked like a uniform from behind his back, “I hope so, because it’s time to get back to work.” he held up the dress shirt and long black slacks for Iyasu to see.

“Since we can’t rely on you to work the fields I’ll have you work in the house instead. I’ll have to train you more before I feel confident letting you out of my sight.” The last sentence was said in a dark tone that put Iyasu on edge. He couldn’t imagine how he could do any worse to him, then he remembered those hands that violated him every night and feared where that thought might lead him.

“Don’t fret, this job is usually only reserved for half-breeds like Jerrod, your kind should consider it an upgrade.” He joked. Iyasu thought about how Jerrod did look rather different from the black people he's been around. His light brown eyes, loose curls and deep caramel skin was not super common where he's from. Though the word ‘half-breed’ offended him just as much as the insinuation that his darker skin was inferior.

“You will be up at 6 am and at my quarters by 7. Jerrod will make sure you know the estate well but I expect you to be able to do this on your own sooner than later.” He moved to place the clothes on a dresser that sat on the other side of the room. He started to leave the room but paused right after he opened the door.

“Oh, and make sure you behave yourself. If you think I have no patience for wily field niggers you have _no_ idea what happens to slaves who disobey me in my own home.” He stared into Iyasu’s eyes with a sharp gaze that gave no room for argument. Iyasu silently gripped onto his sheets and challenged the eye contact until Roland smirked and left the room. 

* * *

He was finally able to take off all of the bandages on his own when he woke that morning. When he finished Jerrod guided him to the bathroom that all the house slaves shared. He felt exposed having to wash himself in an open shower but he was incredibly grateful to have any opportunity to clean himself, even if the shower was cold and barely working. The other slaves casted curious looks at him as he made his way out of the bathroom, he hadn't felt so awkward in a long time. Jerrod waited for him to cover himself before handing him his uniform. It was more presentable than his previous outfit, the shirt and pants were softer and more fitted to his form. He unconsciously kept brushing his dreads away from his face until Jerrod silently handed him a black ribbon to use as a hair tie. Iyasu gave him a weak smile of appreciation as he tied it into a high ponytail. 

“We must hurry to Master’s quarters.” Jerrod said as he headed towards a smaller hallway. They took a shortcut through the smaller hallway so they could reach the main stairs. The house was quite massive with shiny wooden floors and high white walls. All the furniture was tasteful, ranging from wicker to black leather. The first floor was much nicer, there was a long mauve carpet that lined the entire hall and paintings that depicted real life scenes from the second civil war, something Iyasu’s only seen in books. 

They finally arrived in front of the white decorative door that must’ve led to Roland’s private chambers. Jerrod knocked before cracking the door open. 

“Master, I brought Gin.” Jerrod bowed his head as he said it. Roland was at his desk scribbling down something on some important looking documents but paused to motion them in. Or rather motion Iyasu in since Jerrod stepped back to let Iyasu walk in before closing the door. Iyasu stood there awkwardly until Roland looked up from his papers again.

“Come closer.” was all he said as he put down his feathered pen and sat up to give Iyasu his full attention. Iyasu didn’t like how those eyes seemed to take in his whole body, lingering at the places where the shirt and pants clung to his form. He almost felt more naked than when he was showering in front of a whole group of people.

He slowly walked closer wishing he could hide his body from Roland’s gaze. Roland sat forward with his arms crossed on the desk.

“My, those clothes do suit you, perhaps I will permanently make you a house slave in the future.” he said with a chuckle. Iyasu stayed silent.

“What’s wrong? I’m sure even a simple creature like yourself can do a little housework. Perhaps I can have you play as my personal pet as well since you’re nice to look at.” The statement made Iyasu glare at the man before he could control himself. Roland arched a brow at that and stood up causing Iyasu to shift uncomfortably.

“Now, now, I don’t like that look.” Iyasu tried to look down as Roland moved into his space but his head was yanked up by his chin.

“You better control that attitude of yours or I’ll fix it for you.” He hissed the words as his grip tightened to a painful extent. Iyasu held back the concern that threatened to surface on his face. That effort was lost when Roland seemed to watch his face too intently before letting go. 

“On your knees.” Roland said coldly. Iyasu froze at those words a second too long because he was being pushed down by his neck and forced to the ground instead. He pushed himself up into a kneeling position and fought the urge to curse at the alpha. He instead kept his head down and balled his hands into tight fists to sooth his anger.

“Look at me.”

He obeyed the order faster this time and peered up through his eyelashes to see Roland standing too close and towering over him. 

“Good boy.” Roland smiled and swiped a loose dread behind his ear before running his hand over Iyasu's cheek and under his chin again to make him look up further.

“Now when I ask you to get on your knees, or any other command, you are to say ‘yes master’ and do it without question. Whenever you answer to me or address me in any way you call me 'master'. Do you understand?” Roland's head tilted as he said it. 

“Yes.” Iyasu said in a clipped tone. The sudden slap across his face took him by surprise, making him almost fall sideways. 

“Yes _what_?” Roland’s eyes had that dark edge again but it was mixed with a hunger Iyasu didn’t want to acknowledge. He instead tried to steady his breaths that were becoming heavy from resentment and adrenaline, he spoke through tight lips.

“Yes, master.” The words tasted disgusting in his mouth, he felt his dignity rip apart just from saying that phrase. He wanted to die, he wanted to hide away or rip Roland’s throat open to satiate the feeling of humiliation that seeped into his soul.

“You will clean this entire estate by yourself from top to bottom since you’re such a glutton for punishment. My room will be the last to clean, hopefully you’re timely with the other rooms.” Roland stepped away as he said it but he had an expectant look on his face that made Iyasu speak.

“Yes master.” It was no easier to get the words out a second time. Roland motioned for him to stand and waved him away when he did.

“Jerrod will show you the cleaning closet, everything better be spotless.” He warned Iyasu then sat back at his desk like nothing happened.

Iyasu said nothing, he walked out as quickly as possible to get away from Roland. He was starting to feel more than just fear and anger around the man, he started to notice a familiar smell around the alpha. It was the same scent from all those nights he spent recovering, it was a scent all alphas had when they wanted something more. A bout of denial took over Iyasu as Jerrod led him back down to the west wing but the more he thought about it the harder it was to deny reality. There was a musk in Roland’s scent that only grew stronger when Iyasu was on his knees in front of him, the thought made him want to vomit.

Jerrod gave him a schedule of the other slave’s routines and left him to it after giving him the cleaning supplies. He started with the kitchen since he figured that would be the most challenging and in his best interest to check off while it was empty. The other slaves already prepared breakfast and were now preparing to serve Roland and his mistress in their lavish dining room. A part of him was glad for the peaceful silence and the lull of cleaning countertops and cleaning the floors. It was a pretty impressive kitchen boasting electric stoves and a big high-tech fridge, Iyasu could never dream of this type of tech being in the ghetto that he used to live in. 

He was washing the dishes when he felt a presence enter the room. He jumped and turned to see an attractive woman who looked to be in her early 20’s. She had large brown eyes and curly-wavy hair that she tied back with an old scarf, she wore the same uniform as him instead of a dress like the other women. Most notable though was the fact that she was a darker brown like Iyasu was when most of the house slaves were fair-skinned. She certainly stood out among some of the others. 

“Did I scare ya?” She asked with a playful smile that Iyasu didn’t think could exist in a hellhole like this.

“No not really.” he said though he was still staring in surprise. The girl peeped down the hall before coming over and grabbing a dish from the clean pile to wipe dry. 

“W-wait, uh, you don’t have to do that!” Iyasu looked back at the entrance of the kitchen before trying to stop her. She moved away with that same cat-like grin as she placed the dish in the open cabinet.

“It’s okay I wanna help! Everyone’s talkin’ bout how Master Roland’s been houndin’ ya ever since you got here. I’ll take the blame if anyone sees me helpin’.” She said in a sweet voice as she dried more of the clean dishes to put them away.

“You really don’t have to do that.” He said hesitantly but he continued to finish the last of the dirty dishes. He couldn’t afford to get off schedule, who knows what will happen at the end of the night. The girl shrugged nonchalantly. 

“Ain’t tyna butter you up, I feels bad for ya is all. Plus I’m a little curious about the northern boy everybody’s been gossiping about.” Her smile turned into a coy little smirk.

“Name’s Sandra by the way.” She added.

“Iyasu, nice to meet you.” He said quickly before she could utter his unwanted name. “Didn’t realize my presence would be such a hot topic.”

“Of course!” Sandra turned to him with excitement in her eyes. “A learned nigga who's tasted freedom is unheard of ‘round here.” She wiped the last dish off and put it away before turning to him. “Especially an omega, you’re like a damn unicorn to the rest of us.”

“Are you an omega too?” Iyasu asked, wiping his hands and trying to change the subject. He felt his cheeks heat up from the admiration in Sandra’s voice.

“Nope, I’m an alpha.” The statement made him gawk at Sandra without thinking.

She certainly didn't smell much like an alpha to him, then again he was used to being around alphas who tried their best to make their musk known in the most obnoxious ways; sometimes even through less natural means. She was pretty small for an alpha too, even more petite than some of the other women he's seen. Not to mention it was rare for someone to rival his short height unless they were much younger. Iyasu felt bad for reacting the way he did though, she had a look on her face that said she expected that type of reaction.

“I’m actually the head maid here so it was only a matter of time before we would meet. You’ll be working wit’ me afta today.” Her warm smile was back as she offered a hand. Iyasu accepted it, he almost felt normal again from the casual conversation. 

“Thanks for helping me, I appreciate it.” He smiled back at her, it almost felt strange to meet a slave as carefree as her.

“No problem I-yasu.” The way she said it sounded a bit off with her accent but the sound of her saying his name restored yet another bit of humanity in him. It was nice to hear, he could see himself wanting to talk to Sandra again, maybe even becoming friends. He didn’t plan on being here long but it wouldn’t hurt to be closer to people who were in the same shitty situation.

“I’ll let you get back to it.” She said in a low voice when she heard commotion from the hallway.

With a wave she was gone, leaving Iyasu to replay the interaction in his mind. He never realized how much he took advantage of the most simple pleasures like meeting a friendly person that valued him as an equal. He savored that feeling of normality as he cleaned through both corridors and all the unlocked rooms. He was still cleaning one of the rooms on the east wing as the sun was rapidly going down. By the time he finished all the accessible rooms upstairs he was already exhausted.

When he finally arrived back at Roland’s chambers he was disheveled and covered in sweat. He carried the bucket with the cleaning products in one hand as he knocked with the other. Roland opened the door himself instead of calling him in, which startled Iyasu a bit. He had a growing smile on his face seeing the state Iyasu was in. 

“You are a hard working slave when you want to be, Jerrod tells me you’ve done an excellent job.” Roland praised as he moved to sit back at his desk which was cluttered with even more papers.

"Thank you master." Iyasu said quietly, picking up a duster to wipe off all the surfaces of the room including his vanity which had a range of colognes, skin care and hair care products. It was strange to see such mundane things sitting on Roland vanity, it was difficult to think of Roland as a man made of flesh like everyone else. 

Roland’s room was probably the easiest to clean, almost suspiciously so. There was not much to do in a room that was already close to pristine. The whole time he could feel Roland’s eyes on him as if he were watching his every move. It made Iyasu want to clean as stiffly as possible because every position felt inappropriate with Roland’s gaze on him. He was happy when he changed the sheets and was finally done with the room. He was ready to excuse himself but Roland stopped him.

“Where do you think you’re going? You haven’t even cleaned my desk.” Iyasu heard Roland’s voice behind him. He closed his eyes and let out a breath, it seems like Roland was going to drag this thing out as long as possible. 

“You’re still using it though,” Iyasu turned to him again with an impartial expression. “Master.” he added after a thought.

“I’ll move out of your way then.” Roland said yet he only pushed his chair back to create a small space. Iyasu paused and watched as Roland sat there with an expectant look in his eyes. He walked up to the front of the desk to start stacking up books to put in his personal library when he was stopped again.

“No, no, I want you to start over here.” The words made cold sweat form on Iyasu’s forehead, this was almost certainly some type of trap. Maybe Roland found out about him getting help and was going to punish him or maybe he had other motives that were much worse. Iyasu had no other choice but to obey even though his whole body protested against it. 

He walked over to face the desk, his back was turned to Roland who was sitting in his desk chair uncomfortably close. Iyasu focused on organizing the desk the best he could with all the confusing documents spread about. He had no clue what they were about but they looked like some type of official government documents. Iyasu read about how common crooked politicians were in all factions but it was terrifying to think someone like Roland had any political influence. 

“Don’t bother looking too closely, even if you can read it’s still above your level of intelligence.” Roland whispered, suddenly very close to his ear. He flinched away when he felt Roland’s body press against him only to be pulled back in by a hand on his chest. Iyasu could smell his strong musk again as it seemed to spread around them. He held his breath not wanting to be affected by the smell.

“You know I’ve wanted to touch you since I first smelled your raw scent, don’t know how long it’s been since I felt so _primal._ ” He practically growled the word as he snaked his arm around Iyasu’s hip to grab at his crotch. Iyasu gasped at the rough treatment and ended up taking in Roland’s scent. His body began to feel warm as his blood pumped faster in his veins but he still recoiled in disgust when Roland’s hands touched him. 

“Stop struggling. You’ll only excite me more.” His voice was heavy with cruelty. Iyasu didn’t listen, he kept trying to pull away as his instincts screamed at him. Roland began to pant against his neck, right where his scent gland was while he ripped off Iyasu’s shirt. He pinned Iyasu to the desk with his larger body making Iyasu panic from the feeling of being trapped. 

“No, stop--” he tried to say but a hand was clamped around his mouth. 

“You might wake up the missus, you don’t want to do that do you?” Roland asked as he sunk his fingers into Iyasu’s hip. He undid Iyasu’s pants and pulled them down with his undergarments making the panic in him rise enough that even the musky scent didn’t distract him. He acted before he could think, elbowing Roland hard enough to make the man back off but only for a bit. Iyasu tried to get away but Roland grabbed his arm and flipped him onto the desk to face him instead. Iyasu knew he would pay for trying to resist later but he could only think of how much he wanted to escape his current fate. His hair came loose shielding his view momentarily as Roland yanked his pants and underwear off completely. Roland wrapped a hand around Iyasu’s neck, clearly growing impatient with him.

“Obey me or I will whip you until there’s no flesh left on your bones.” He had that stony look in his eyes again like the first time he tortured Iyasu. Iyasu knew he meant every word he said, it made him pause as his breaths came in small pants from the terror that gripped him. It must’ve shown on his face the way Roland seemed to drink in his expression.

“Get up.” Roland commanded in a low voice. Iyasu got up slowly, his body trembling slightly, anticipating more pain. “Turn around.” Roland continued as his eyes raked across Iyasu’s smaller frame. 

Iyasu turned slowly, his shoulders hunched with how uncomfortable he was. He wanted to plead and beg but he knew it would do no good for a man not capable of empathy. Roland pushed him until he leaned on the desk with his hands, making him bend over and more properly show his cunt and ass. Iyasu’s entire face and neck heated up with humiliation when he heard Roland sit down to get a better view. Suddenly there were hands on his ass spreading him further and making his own scent fill the room more gradually. 

“What a fine cunt,” his voice was deeper now, more hungry. “Let’s see how tight you are.” He said as he inserted two fingers inside not letting him get used to the width of them. His entrance tightened up from the intrusion but the small amount of wetness there allowed Roland to push them deeper. Iyasu gasped and swallowed a broken groan, his hips automatically pulled away only to have Roland grab his hips and force them back with a stabbing pain.

Iyasu bit back a curse when Roland began to fuck him with his fingers, the pull on his inner walls was painful from the lack of lubrication. But then much to Iyasu’s terror Roland hit that sweet spot inside of him that made him want to sob in pleasure and sorrow. He leaned on his elbows as Roland continued to violate him until he was wet and panting. Roland’s scent was beginning to build again as he listened to Iyasu’s pitiful moans and the small whimpers that escaped every now and again. 

“Even a poorly behaved low-breed like you can turn into a kitten when your nature takes over.” His words were arrogant as he plunged his fingers deeper making Iyasu squirm as he caressed the brand mark on his inner thigh with his thumb.

Roland pulled out his fingers after that, catching Iyasu off guard. He turned to see if the alpha was finally done but a hand covered Iyasu's mouth again as he heard Roland unfasten his own pants. He tried to wrench his hips away but was penetrated roughly, causing him to scream into the hand covering his mouth. His hole ached as he tried to adjust to the unexpected girth but Roland gave him no time, he started to thrust at an eager pace as his breaths grew more and more heavy.

“ _Ah_ , you’re so _tight_.” was the last thing Iyasu heard before his consciousness detached from his body. He was floating, the sound of skin slapping was in the distance, the violation was numbed. His head was laid on the desk, his dark eyes staring vacantly at the vanity that sat further in the room. The sight vibrated with the thrusts but he could only focus on those mundane objects, anything to escape the feeling of Roland inside of him. He was jolted back into reality when Roland became more aggressive with his oncoming orgasm. 

Iyasu was about to protest when he heard Roland groan along with a splatter of warm liquid on his lower back and ass. Iyasu slid onto the ground after, feeling used. His legs shook and his stomach cramped with the threat of sickness. He curled into himself trying to catch his breath but was yanked into a standing position. He fell back onto the desk trying to gather himself. 

“Return to your quarters. Don’t be so dramatic.” Roland said coldly. Iyasu looked at him through lidded eyes, his body still throbbing with pain after the pleasure subsided, he could barely think let alone walk. 

Roland simply stepped around him towards the large cabinet that sat next to his equally large bed. He was covered in sweat, his long hair mussed and sticking to his face. Iyasu nervously kept his eyes on Roland as he tried to push himself up but his hips protested with a throb making him hiss at the pain. Roland glared at Iyasu as he smoothed his hair back from his face.

“Are you dumb or deaf? I said leave.” His eyes narrowed prompting Iyasu to gather his strength and push himself off the desk. He bit back a whine as a sharp stabbing sensation ran through his core. He pulled up his pants slowly before limping towards the door.

As he opened it he almost fell but managed to close it and lean his head against the smooth ivory wood. He could feel the tears coming, the burn in his throat and eyes as his vision blurred. He was a mess, his shirt disheveled and sticking to the semen on his back, his legs wobbling and slick from the remnants of blood and cum. He felt so sick and exhausted but he had to get to his room. He pulled himself together and walked down the corridor wiping away tears that stung at his cheeks. It was only when he got to the stairs that he looked up and noticed a figure dressed in white.

Even in the dimly lit space he could see light blonde hair and hard green eyes peering at him. They locked eyes for a moment until Iyasu looked down again. He didn't think before turning to descend down the stairs in a rush. He kept his eyes forward as he quickly made his way to his room. 

All the while that hard gaze never left him. 


	4. Connections

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Iyasu officially meets the mistress at dinner and finds out something interesting about Jerrod.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just want to say thank you everyone for the comments and kudos! It's really hard to get love on original stories when it comes to Ao3 so it's so dope to see people interacting with my story!<333 This chapter's a little shorter but it goes right into the next chapter which will be uploaded sooner than later hopefully. There will be racist language in his chapter btw. 
> 
> Hope y'all enjoy <3

Iyasu awoke to a gentle prodding on his shoulder. He opened his eyes with a dissatisfied frown and glared up at the person above him. Jerrod was leaning over him expectantly.

“You need to get ready soon.” he said right before Iyasu could hear the ring of a bell that startled him and prompted Jerrod to glance towards the door. “That’s the morning bell.” he explained with a sigh. Iyasu looked out the window at the mostly dark blue sky.

“Barely morning.” He grumbled but moved to get up anyway. He could still feel a dull ache in his hips and ass as he slid out the bed. 

Iyasu wavered a bit when he stood causing Jerrod to wrap an arm around his waist instinctually. The touch immediately made him jerk away, his heart beat out his chest as his stomach twisted with fear. He sat back onto the bed and wrapped his arms around himself protectively.

“Sorry.” Iyasu said in a small whisper. “I don’t know what that was.” his brain was still catching up to his body's reaction. He tried not to think about the hands that bruised his hips last night, pushing the violent images in the back of his mind and locking them away.

“No I’m sorry. That was careless of me.” Jerrod’s voice was deep and soothing. He kept his distance but Iyasu could smell that same spicy sweet scent of cinnamon beginning to drift towards him. The scent made his body relax almost instantly, he couldn’t help but look up at Jerrod with intrigue, was he trying to comfort Iyasu? It didn’t seem to match the aloofness the other man usually displayed. 

“You’re fine.” Iyasu gave him a weak smile. “Thank you.” he didn’t think he needed to clarify why he was thanking him, Jerrod already had a look of surprise and slight embarrassment on his face like he was unaware of his scent leaking out. Iyasu couldn’t stop his smile from growing, he didn’t expect such a cute reaction. 

There was something else too that stuck with Iyasu, that cinnamon scent didn’t seem as heavy as Iyasu expected from someone like Jerrod. He was a rugged looking man, all thick muscles and scarred skin, he had to be just as tall as Roland too, towering over most other people. Iyasu was sure the man was an alpha but something about his scent felt almost refreshing compared to Roland’s suffocating musk. Jerrod's reserved nature made it harder to determine his true gender, he was an enigma at times. 

A knock on the door alerted them both from their spell. It was a boy with fair skin and dark curly hair, his cherub-like face lit up in surprise when he caught Jerrod and Iyasu staring at one another. 

“Hurry y’all black asses up, we have to start breakfast soon.” He wore a suspicious expression as he spoke but said nothing more before he left. They both hurried to the bathing area walking past other servants who were busy carrying various items down the hall to set up the dining room. 

“Who was _ that _ ?” Iyasu asked once they were in the empty bathroom. He turned away when he saw Jerrod start to undress, unbuttoning his own shirt in a hurry. 

“That was Oliver. Don’t mind him, he can be crass at times.” 

Iyasu huffed out a laugh. “He certainly knows how to get to the point.” The kid was rude but at least there was one other omega here besides the ‘mistress’ of the house. There were a few other omegas that he noticed out on the field when he worked there but the house had mostly beta slaves . 

“That’s one way to put it.” Jerrod said with a bit of amusement in his voice. They grabbed their uniforms from the cupboard and dressed in silence, Iyasu wanted to savor every second before he had to interact with his tormentors once again. These moments of normalcy should keep him sane for another day, he told himself that over and over.

Iyasu looked down at the black vest and pants he wore, holding out his arms to check out the frilly sleeves of his shirt. The clothes here were so outlandish compared to the colorful and laid back street fashion found in the slums of Faction 5. It’s like they weren’t even from the same country, they were just so stuffy. He adjusted his vest as Jerrod pulled out a paper and offered it to him.

“This is the schedule for most of the servants. Master Roland may change your duties later if need be.” Jerrod explained. Iyasu shivered at the thought of Roland controlling any of his duties directly, he wondered what they would entail, certainly nothing innocent. Iyasu took it and looked over it to see mostly mundane house chores. 

“I have to go,” Jerrod moved to leave but Iyasu shot him a nervous look before he could stop himself. Jerrod paused for a second before speaking again. 

“You’ll be okay.” He said with a nod, he left the room soon after.

_ You’ll be okay. _ Such a simple phrase but it sunk into Iyasu very being, it made his heart warm and his pain seem a little less sharp. He let out a breath and looked at his schedule again, he was a little behind but he had to help in the kitchen. He hurried over and almost immediately was met with that same cherub face. This time the boy looked pissed. 

“You’re late.” He snapped, shoving a knife towards him and making Iyasu flinch before grabbing it. 

“My bad.” Iyasu said, trying to keep the ire out of his voice. He was quickly losing patience with this kid. He got a dirty look from Oliver but he ignored it as he followed the boy around the island counter that sat in the middle of the kitchen to a pile of potatoes in the back. A pile of boxes sat next to it along with a table and chair. Oliver placed a large metal bowl on the table. 

“Since we’re already halfway done with breakfast you can peel the potatoes for lunch and dinner. Make yourself useful.” He said gesturing to the bag of potatoes that looked intimidating to Iyasu. He could cook but he never prepared such big portions, he’s only ever had to feed himself. 

“What’s wrong? That head of yours full of cotton too? Start peeling.” Oliver crossed his arms, he almost had a smug look on his face. Iyasu stared coldly at him before he picked up a potato and started peeling. He was on his third when Oliver leaned on the table next to him with a mischievous look.

“What were you and Jerrod talking about earlier? I’ve never seen that overgrown beta talk to anyone for more than a minute, let alone go to their room.” Oliver tilted his head making his curls fall away from his face.

Iyasu briefly wondered why the annoying kid was harassing him instead of helping out around the kitchen. Then Oliver’s words hit him, did Iyasu hear him right? There was no way he was telling the truth about Jerrod.

“Jerrod’s a  _ beta _ ?” Iyasu almost dropped the potato he was currently peeling. Oliver smirked seeing the comical way Iyasu’s mouth gaped open in shock.

“Haven’t you noticed his scent lacks that certain je ne sais quoi?” Oliver’s eyes are filled with desire when he says the last words. “He just doesn’t have that beautiful alpha smell.”

Iyasu didn’t know what “je ne sais quoi” meant but he had to disagree. “I don’t know,” He said as he continued his task. “I feel like alphas stink of shit at this point. Jerrod’s scent smells different...it’s kind of nice.” A blush spread across his face as he said it, somehow that realization made him feel embarrassed.

Oliver looked strangely insulted by Iyasu’s statement. He leaned into Iyasu’s space with a hostile frown on his pretty face. 

“You northern niggas are weird. How could you even say something like that? I don’t even know why Master Roland is interested in you--” before he could finish a small hand smacked him on the back of his head. 

“What the hell!” Oliver exclaimed as he turned to reveal Sandra. She was glaring at the young omega with her hands on her hips.

“Why are you harassin’ Iyasu like that! He don’t need that stress!”

Oliver glared at the ground, clearly not willing to openly challenge an alpha. “I-I wasn’t---”

“Yes you was, now walk your narrow behind to the dining room. Masta Roland is gonna to be coming down soon.” 

Oliver clenched his fists and sent a dirty look towards Iyasu but still obeyed in the end. Iyasu rolled his eyes at the other omega, he could never understand omegas like that, for what reason did they need to worship alphas? Too many alphas have made his life  _ more  _ difficult rather than better. 

Sandra sighed when Oliver finally stomped out of the room. She gave Iyasu a sympathetic smile as she shook her head. 

“I’m sorry Iyasu honey, he got a big ego cause he light-skinned and the Masta favors him.” She scoffed with a laugh. “That child’s crazy.”

Iyasu couldn’t help but wonder what she meant about being “favored” after what happened to him. As much as he didn’t like Oliver he hoped someone that young wasn’t involved in that type of situation.

“It’s fine. Thank you for that.” Iyasu’s face heated up again. He really appreciated Sandra’s sweet and protective personality, maybe some alphas weren’t all that bad.

“It’s all good.” She moved to pat him on the shoulder with surprising strength making him flinch. “You remind me of my little brother. I’ve gotta soft spot for ya.” she smiled as she said it.

“I’m flattered, your brother must be quite handsome.” Iyasu jokes, he had no idea Sandra even had any siblings.

“He was.” Sandra said looking away. Her shoulders hunched with tension but she eventually gave Iyasu another smile laced with sadness.

Iyasu looked away when it finally clicked for him. He didn’t know how to respond at first but he eventually spoke up. “I’m sorry.” Was all he could utter. 

“It’s okay! No need to dwell on it.” Sandra shrugged with her usual bright expression but he could still see the remnants of sorrow in the depths of her dark eyes. 

“I shouldn’t have assumed.” Iyasu said, he felt his chest tighten. He knew the pain of losing loved ones, very intimately. 

Sandra looked away for a moment with an unreadable expression but her smile returned when she met his eyes again. “It’s alright, I’ll just adopt  you  from now on. You can be my little brother.” her tone was cheeky as she said it. 

Iyasu let out a quiet laugh. “I’d be honored.” He responded. 

“Here, I’ll help you with those since I already finished baking the biscuits.” she dusted the last of the flour from her hands and grabbed a knife from the butcher block. Iyasu moved his seat over when she grabbed a chair to place it next to him, she picked potatoes from the pile and started to peel it in unison with him. Iyasu could feel her warmth as she sat next to him, it didn’t feel like a duty with her there chatting with him as they peeled. 

Iyasu smiled as she continued her animated conversation, he couldn’t help but think maybe some alphas were pretty great. 

* * *

Luckily Iyasu didn’t see Roland for most of the day, he spent most of his time helping to clean the many rooms on the second floor. Oliver still popped up once or twice and scanned the room like he was some kind of overseer. Iyasu couldn’t stand the other omega’s presence but he chose to try his best to ignore it. He didn’t even know why Oliver was there, he only did a select amount of duties and clearly lived in the eastern quarters. He just seemed to like the power trip, especially when it came to Iyasu. 

Before he knew it the sun was setting and he was due to the dining room. Iyasu could feel the sweat on his neck when he thought about it. He wasn’t ready to see Roland again, he was able to distract himself from last night but now he had no choice but to confront it.

He could feel his body shake as he walked down that long hallway and entered the beautifully decorated living room. It was tasteful but lavish all at once, the heavy dark blue curtains accented the glass chandelier and shiny silverware that filled the long table sitting in the center of the room. Iyasu could see Sandra and Oliver standing at the opposite end of the room looking stiff and serious as they awaited orders. 

When his eyes glanced across the head of the table they landed on Roland’s tall form. His eyes locked with Roland in a moment of fear, his body froze against his will as his heart beat violently in his chest. Roland’s face was stoic before his lips tilted in a hint of a smile, he looked satisfied by Iyasu’s reaction. It made Iyasu angry but not enough to keep their eyes locked, he cursed the fact that the fear took over but every time he looked into Roland’s ice blue eyes he could feel hands on his body that made his skin crawl. 

He quickly moved to stand close to Sandra in the left corner of the room, his limbs still trembling slightly. She brushed her hand against his discreetly in an attempt to calm him but he couldn’t stop his body from feeling that deep-seated fear. Even Roland’s smoky scent was conjuring images of how he was violated that night. 

“Gin, sit next to me.” said a familiar light voice from the other side of the table. Iyasu paused, for a minute it didn’t register that he was being referred to but then it clicked that the omega of the house was calling him. Iyasu’s omega instincts begged him not to leave Sandra’s comforting presence but he slowly obeyed the order anyway. He stood next to him with an unsure expression until the other omega yanked him down by his arm, forcing Iyasu to kneel at his feet. He sat there with his hands balled in tight fists on his thighs looking at the ground. The humiliation made him want to lash out and be swallowed whole by the ground all at once, he could never get used to this. 

When he finally peered up at Roland the alpha was sending the blonde haired omega a displeased look. Iyasu glanced at the other omega to see him challenging that gaze with his own. 

“What’s wrong honey?” The omega tilted his head as he spoke to Roland. 

Roland looked down at Iyasu, studying his nervous expression before looking back at his mate. 

“Nothing my dear Finn, I just didn’t think you were at all interested in my new purchase.” Roland leaned forward and rested his chin on linked fingers, the golden leaves on his black vest glistened in the candle light. 

“I just don’t think he should be grouped with the other slaves.” Finn replied as he pet Iyasu’s head. “He should be closely watched until he’s properly broken.” he continued as he dug his nails into Iyasu’s scalp. Iyasu fought the strong urge to pull away as he clenched his teeth.

“You’ve always had problems with trusting others.” Roland said around a smirk. 

“You’ve always been too arrogant to be cautious of anything.” Finn replied in a sharp tone. “I always thought that was one of your worst traits.” Finn said sipping from a glass that was already full of wine. 

“And yet you chose to mate with me anyway despite my so-called flaws.” Roland’s tone was teasing making Finn’s face redden with ire.

"I wouldn't call it a choice." Finn scoffed in reply. Iyasu felt like he was in the middle of a conversation he wasn’t supposed to hear, he wished they would just dismiss him already if they didn’t need anything from him. 

Thankfully a group of servants came out to begin serving dinner along with Sandra and Oliver, a whole baked chicken was already sliced and ready to serve with a side of roasted potatoes, biscuits, and asparagus. Roland and Finn shifted to small talk as their plates were served, the whole conversation felt completely cold for people who were supposed to be mates. 

Finally Sandra poured gravy over the slices of chicken on Roland’s plate and moved to do the same with Finn’s but he smacked her hand away almost spilling it on the floor.

“What is this? I’m not eating that rubbish. Did you even cook it all the way? Look how thick it is.” Finn said gesturing towards Roland’s plate. 

Sandra had a panicked look on her face as she looked at Roland’s plate and back at the gravy boat. 

“Sorry Mistress Finn, I’ll make sure to check the food better before it leaves the kitchen next time.” It was strange to hear such a confident woman’s voice shake with panic. Iyasu saw the gravy as she poured it, he knew for sure it was perfectly smooth. Roland did too by his lack of complaint but he didn’t seem to care enough to speak up, he just let Finn rip into Sandra. It made Iyasu’s jaw tighten in anger.

Suddenly Finn snatched the gravy boat still full of steaming gravy and splashed the whole thing on Sandra’s face making her scream. Iyasu’s head snapped up to see her back into a wall as she covered her face and sobbed from the gravy that was burning her face.

“Sandra!” He acted before he could stop himself, he tried to get up and help her but was yanked back by his dreads. Sandra finally opened her reddened eyes to see Finn forcing Iyasu to kneel on the ground by his hair. She looked like she wanted to say something as tears ran down her face but Roland spoke first.

“You need to calm down dear, are you nearing your heat?” Roland’s words were casual yet had a venomous and mocking undertone that made Finn frown. “They’ll resent you if you have petty outbursts like that, is that what you want?” Roland continued, taking a bite of his chicken. 

“Someone needs to be the alpha in this house.” Finn scoffed, he let go of Iyasu’s hair letting the dreads fall onto his face. Iyasu kept his eyes down on the floor but jumped when he heard Roland call his slave name.

“Gin, come here.” Roland’s eyes never left Finn’s even when he said it. The room was tense as the sour scent of an angry alpha spread across the room. Iyasu stiffened for a second, not sure if he should get up without Finn’s permission, he didn’t want to admit that another part of him was frightened by the idea of being near Roland.

“Gin.” Roland’s voice had a threatening edge that made Iyasu finally shift to get up but he was stopped when Finn pinned one of his hands to the floor with his foot. Iyasu gasped in pain and couldn’t hold back a whimper when Finn’s heel dug into his hand. 

“Your insolence is beginning to irritate me. Why must you ruin dinner with your petty mood swings? What’s your problem?” Roland said as he continued to stare down his husband. Finn looked appalled for a second before his face morphed into anger.

“ _ My _ problem? Why must you bring this filthy  _ thing  _ into our home? It’s not even fit to work the fields let alone serve us in our private quarters.” Finn’s voice rose as he spoke making Oliver and Sandra both flinch from where they stood. Oliver looked like he wanted to disappear while Sandra clenched her dress in her hands, she bit her lip harshly and looked away. 

Roland let out a snide laugh. “Your irrationality knows no bounds! Are you that delicate of a person that being near a fertile omega sends you into hysterics?” 

A flash of hurt could be seen in Finn’s eyes at that statement but instead of arguing further he stood up abruptly sending his husband a furious look before storming off. Oliver and another slave followed him out the room but most remained with troubled looks on their faces. 

Roland sighed with a tired look on his face. “He certainly knows how to ruin a perfectly good dinner.” Roland downed the rest of his wine before his eyes shifted to Iyasu who was currently cradling his hand and trying to make himself smaller.

“Gin you will come to my office after you finish the rest of your duties.” Roland said as he began to eat his much colder food. Iyasu hunched his shoulders nervously when he heard Roland’s order. 

“Yes master.” He whispered the words that struggled to leave his tightening throat. He didn’t think he could take another night trapped in Roland’s office. 

**Author's Note:**

> I'm open to criticism but please try not to base it on assumptions. 
> 
> Thank you for reading!


End file.
